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xbmc / Kore

Kore is a simple and easy-to-use Kodi remote.
Apache License 2.0
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[Feature Requests] Radio stations + hide tabs #182

Open Thomas-O opened 8 years ago

Thomas-O commented 8 years ago

I use my Kodi box exclusively for (headless) music playback through a hi-fi. I wondered if you could provide some tweaking options that will make it easier to navigate and control playback with the Kore Remote.

  1. It would be handy if Kore Remote could open with the users' choice of media menu (music, movies, TV etc) rather than with the Remote tab. The Remote tab isn't much use without a TV screen.
  2. Actually, it would be useful if you could completely hide the Remote tab: if you're using Kore Remote for headless music playback you only need the Now Playing and Playlist tabs.
  3. Could you provide an option with which the user can hide all unused or superfluous menu tabs, e.g. albums, genres, (music) videos?
  4. Finally, please can you add a radio stations tab to the Music menu? Something similar to the feature in Music Pump remote? Where you can use a file browser to select and add a .strm file.

Thanks for your time. And sorry if I've been greedy and asked for too much at once.

Thomas

SyncedSynapse commented 8 years ago
  1. Sorry, don't really understand what you mean here.
  2. No, i won't hide the remote tab. Not even as an option.
  3. Look into settings->Side menu shortcuts.
  4. Radio stations is on the PVR. It's supposedly implemented but I couldn't test it, as i don't have access to them. Humm, maybe you're talking about something different aren't you?
Thomas-O commented 8 years ago

Sorry If I haven't explained things as clearly as I could. I'll have another go. Though before I get started I would like to add that I am trying to put together an easy to use (and affordable) network music player for a slightly befuddled grandparent. Who will greatly benefit from a simplified remote interface when browsing and playing music. And I'm assuming it will also be of benefit for others who use a Kodi / openelec box as a dedicated music player connected to their hi-fi.

  1. When I open the Kore Remote app I'm greeted by a remote tab with directional arrows and a bunch of options and quick links. As the RPi2 + DAC is plugged in to a hi-fi with no attached screen there's not much I can do with this remote tab. So my next step is to open the side menu and select the Music menu. I would like to see an option which will skip the first step and open the app directly in the Music menu with the list of artists.
  2. After choosing something to play I make my way to the controls - either opened automatically or selected at the top right. The controls open with the remote tab with the directional arrows. Which again isn't much use without a TV screen. The Now Playing and Playlist tabs are all you need. In this situation the remote tab is unnecessary and quite confusing. I'm not asking you to remove all the controls, just the tab that can't be used for anything.
  3. The side menu doesn't provide the options to hide tabs or sub-menus like albums, genres and music videos. My grandparent will only need the artist tab (and a radio tab). The others just get in the way and add to the confusion. And the music video tab is redundant when playback is through a hi-fi.
  4. I think I am talking about something else. At present the only way to list a radio stream in the Kore Remote is to disguise it as a music video. Which although it sort of works just adds to the confusion. The Music Pump app has an option which allows you to browse for and select a .strm file you've placed in the device's home folder. With the station name added to a list in a drop-down menu. This is a nice feature to have but it's not that obvious or easy to navigate. A radio tab (added to Kore's music menu) would be far better. One quick swipe from artists to radio and there'll be no confusion or late night phone call asking "how do I do this radio thing again....".

Hope that helps. And thanks for the reply and for considering the requests. And sorry if I'm not getting the terminology quite right. I'm not quite sure what qualifies as a menu, sub-menu or tab so I've just taken a best guess.

SyncedSynapse commented 8 years ago

It's clear now. A noble goal indeed, and i think there's merit in your suggestions, but don't take this as a commitment to implement it. Some comments:

  1. So you're referring to a "default start screen". This actually might pose some issues given the way Android works, but it has merit.
  2. I understand you, but i'm not a fan of hiding the remote tab. It's too central to the way the remote works.
  3. The music section might be redesigned in the future to make it more streamlined. And while i'm not particular fond of having settings to hide tabs (because this setting isn't really useful to the majority of users, so it will only confuse them), i agree that having a music videos tab when there's no music videos on Kodi is redundant and the tab could be automatically hidden in that situations.
  4. Not familiar with paying .strm so i can't comment much.

Just a suggestion, which might not make sense: have you tried using just the "Files" section and adding and naming the sources appropriately for your uses? Not sure if this helps but...